Raining on my Head
by Aedien
Summary: Sakura and Kakashi are trying to teach Naruto Genjutsu, but it isn't going well. After a frustrating day of training Naruto stops for some tea and gets a little help from his other friends.
1. Cold Mornings

AN: Hey everyone, it's been raining all day today and this popped into my head….Naruto is a bit grumpy, but rain is fun.

Naruto sighed as he walked slowly back from the training grounds; it had been a tough day. He yawned expansively then looked up at the darkening sky. Normally he would have been jumping from one tree to the next, making the trip home much quicker, but it had been raining almost non-stop for a week and the branches were bound to be slippery.

'Sakura-chan isn't here to heal me if I break my leg either. Haha, she'd probably be upset with me too.'

Right now Konoha was enjoying the first break in the rain since yesterday morning; he walked into the village, unsurprised to find the streets crowded with citizens rushing to complete errands and in general relishing the break in the weather.

He smiled, the civilians had been rushing from building to building, hiding from the rain, complaining about the inconvenience, completely forgetting that the ninja went out every day, regardless of the weather to keep the village safe and functioning.

Naruto plunged into the crowded street with no particular destination in mind.

'Hmm, maybe Iruka-sensei might want to go to lunch….no he's teaching this time of day. I could just go to Ichiraku's by myself, but Ayame and the Old man will want to talk and I don't really feel like it today…hmmmm…"

He groaned aloud to himself, "Ahhh! I can't think of anything."

At first he tried to squeeze through the throngs of people; not wanting to risk slipping off one of the roofs that were sure to be as slick as the trees. After a few minutes of being jostled around in the crowd his ninja senses were tingling; demanding that he get into a more open space.

He ran a hand through his damp hair and looked up at the sky once more; the clouds had begun to gather themselves again to continue their assault on the already soggy city. He looked around trying to catch a glimpse of the nearby shops; he could already smell the rain that was threatening to fall.

He spotted a break in the crowd and decided to take advantage of the opening; he leapt over one unsuspecting citizen then sped through the gap. Naruto looked up to find himself in a strangely empty tea shop, 'I guess everyone is taking their time outside while they can.'

He walked across the room and took a seat in the back corner of the shop, "Isn't this where Neji, Fuzzy-eyebrows and TenTen like to have tea after their missions?"

The thought went right out of his mind as the waitress came to take his order. Before she could deliver his tea the rain started pouring down once more; Naruto watched as the villagers and a few off-duty ninja scrambled to get inside, grumbling to each other. The little shop was soon packed with customers trying to stay dry. Naruto was grateful when his tea arrived; his fingers were numb and he was starting to shiver in his damp clothing.

He had been out training since before sunrise, so he had already been soaking wet before most of the city had even been awake. When the rain had returned full force the temperature had dropped rather suddenly and now he was leaning over his tea savoring the warmth of the steam.

'Sheesh, if I had known I would freeze my butt off I would have just gone home!' he took a sip of his tea, 'I have this sudden urge to crawl into bed and stay there for a week.'

He sat back and closed his eyes reflecting on the events of the day, 'Crap, only 11 o'clock and it's already a pain in the butt.' thoughts of his bed crossed his mind once more, but he pushed them aside and drank more of his tea.

'Sakura-chan yelled at me too, come to think of it I'm still not sure why. Kakashi-sensei was on my case too. I know he just wants me to learn, but there has to be a nicer way to say it.' he sighed and took a long swallow of his tea, 'They know I have a hard time with Genjutsu, I wish they would give me a break.'

He sat for a few minutes, not thinking much of anything until the waitress returned and offered him a refill which he accepted with a dazzling smile that sent the younger girl walking away with a light blush tingeing her cheeks.

With the addition of more patrons, the shop was now alive with noise and activity, so Naruto sat back and listened to the jumble of voices that drifted through the room. He smiled when he realized that, for once, no one was talking about him.

'That's sort of unexpected. It's almost like they've forgiven me while I was away.'

His smile twitched a bit and threatened to disappear, but he steeled his resolve and kept it firmly in place, 'Forgiven me, huh? For something I had nothing to do with…. I wonder if that's what I've really been working for all this time.'

He smiled wider and firmly pushed that line of thought to the back of his mind, 'Today has been trying as it is. I don't need to add to it on my own.' he rested his chin in one hand.

"What is it that Shikamaru is always telling me?" he mumbled to no one in particular, "Stressing too much will kill my brain cells or something like that….if that's true no wonder he's a genius…"

He yawned again and brought his other hand up under his chin and stared lazily at the steaming liquid in front of him, 'Maybe I should try being more like Shikamaru…? I'm not sure I could handle that much laying around doing nothing though….' he laughed to himself.

He sat swirling his tea in his glass watching as the rain poured down; he was on his third cup of tea, and was beginning to think of just braving the rain and heading home, when he was shocked out of his thoughts by the sound of someone shouting his name.

"AH! Naruto-kun! Enjoying the day I see!"

Naruto looked up to see none other than Lee and TenTen standing in front of him, "Oh hey, Fuzzy-eyebrows, TenTen. How's it going?"

TenTen pushed aside her overzealous companion; "Hi Naruto. I've never seen you around here before."

The blond smiled, "I'm around once in awhile. What about you two? Coming back from a mission?"

Lee jumped in and gave a thumbs-up to his comrade, "Exactly Naruto-Kun! Our team has once again completed a mission with the power of our flaming youth!!"

TenTen sighed and shook her head, "Sheesh Lee! Do you have to be so loud? This place is noisy enough as it is!"

"Sorry TenTen!"

Naruto laughed at the teammates, then he looked behind them wondering for the first time where Neji was, "Hey, if you're coming back from a mission then where is Neji?"

TenTen turned away from scolding Lee and put her hands up in a helpless gesture, "He's all business. He's delivering our mission report to Godaime-sama and then he's reporting back to his uncle. He said he'd meet us here after he was finished."

Naruto nodded, "Ah I see. Well at least your mission went well."

Lee smiled and his teeth glinted blindingly in spite of the fact that the room was fairly dim, "Of course! Our team has an excellent record all thanks to our fabulous leader!"

TenTen frowned, "Lee…."

The Kunoichi turned to face Naruto again, "Actually, right now our problem is that there is no place to sit in here. Do you mind if we join you?"

Naruto smiled and scooted to the middle of the booth the give the older ninja room to sit, "Of course not. The waitress should be by soon. She seems to show up pretty regularly."

Lee slid into the booth followed closely by TenTen; at first Naruto had not been in the mood for company, but his gregarious nature took control and soon he was enjoying the companionship. He was especially grateful for warmth that Lee was providing, 'Apparently his youth really is a source of flames, because this guy is a furnace!'

As predicted the waitress returned a short while later with a refill for Naruto; when she saw that he had company, she smiled graciously and hurried off to get some tea for them as well.

It wasn't long before Neji appeared in the doorway of the small shop, with a cloak draped over his shoulders.

TenTen spotted him immediately and stood to wave at her long-haired teammate, "Hey Neji! Over here!"

The white eyes of the Hyuuga turned their level gaze on the Kunoichi, "Ah TenTen." he paused and his eyes widened a bit in surprise as he noticed Naruto's presence behind the girl, "Naruto too?"

He gracefully weaved his way though the crowd; avoiding people coming and going and moving easily around the waitresses as they bustled about with orders.

Soon he was standing in front of the three companions, "Every thing has been taken care of. Godaime-sama wanted me to thank you for a job well done."

Lee nodded, "Of course! It's like I was just telling Naruto-kun! Nothing can stand in the way of Team-Guy!"

Neji raised an eyebrow, but otherwise he did not respond, he was already accustomed to his teammate's over the top enthusiasm. Instead he sat in the empty space on Naruto's other side, "Well, it's nice to see you Naruto. I would have thought you would be at Ichiraku's or out training."

TenTen snorted, "In this weather? Who would go out in it if they didn't have to?"

Naruto grinned, "Actually, Sakura-chan, Kakashi-sensei and I were out training before sunrise this morning. I was on my way home and it started to rain again so I ducked in here."

Lee struck a pose, which turned out to be rather awkward given the close proximity of his companions, and he very nearly punched Naruto in the nose. The blond was only able to save himself by leaning over almost into Neji's lap. "It was destiny that brought us together today! We are meant to enjoy one another's companionship even as the pure strength of Nature thunders down on the very city that we call home! Oh the wonderful splendor of it all!"

TenTen sighed as Lee continued to rant about the wonders of nature and companionship, then turned her gaze to Naruto, "You just had to get him started didn't you?"

Naruto shrugged, "How am I supposed to keep track of everything that gets him going? Mention anything that even sounds like 'youth' or 'training' and he'll take it as an excuse." he pointed to the Green Beast of Konoha, "Besides, I think he's talking to himself more than us. He hasn't even noticed that we aren't listening."

Neji smiled; continuing to ignore Lee, "So how did your training go?"

Naruto frowned and leaned his chin on his hands; only narrowly saving himself from being slapped in the face by another of Lee's exuberant gestures, "I don't know, I'm having a tough time with it."

TenTen watched him thoughtfully, "What do you mean?"

Naruto gestured helplessly at her, "It's genjutsu. Sakura-chan and Kakashi-sensei are trying to teach me the basics, but it seems like I just can't get the hang of it. At this point, I can barely manage to release myself from it, much less cast one." he sighed, "To be honest I think they're getting a little frustrated with me."

Neji frowned, "It's not surprising that you would have a hard time learning it. You've never been a genjustu type. You're a close combat ninjutsu/taijutsu type."

Naruto turned his gaze on the older ninja, "Yeah, try telling them that." he shrugged, "It's not that I don't want to learn. It's just when they explain it I have no idea what they're talking about."

Lee suddenly burst into the conversation, surprising his companions, "Then you should ask Guy-sensei! I'll bet he could help!"

Neji crossed his arms over his chest, "Guy-sensei isn't a genjutsu type either."

Lee deflated a bit at his teammate's cold assessment, "He still might be able to help."

TenTen patted Lee on the back, comforting the slightly put out chunnin, "Actually Neji, you're a genjutsu/ninjutsu type. Why don't you train him?"

Neji looked thoughtfully at the sullen blond, "I could, when is your next training session with you team? Maybe I could give you a hand before you see them again."

Naruto looked desperately at Neji, "Tomorrow."

TenTen looked out at the rain pouring down in waves, "Well, I guess there is nothing we can do today then. It's raining too hard to be out there."

Lee frowned at the Kunoichi, "TenTen! How can you say that! The flaming youth of Naruto and Neji burns much too brightly to be dampened by a little storm such as this!"

TenTen shook her fist at Lee, "Will you give it a rest already? You're driving me crazy!"

Naruto smiled wanly at the three of them, "Don't worry about it Lee. I'm not going to ask you guys to be out in this just to save me a little frustration. Let's just enjoy our tea."

Neji smiled and put a hand on Naruto's shoulder, "You don't have to. I'll ask Hiashi-sama if we can use the Hyuuga indoor training gym."

Naruto smiled a little wider, "Do you really think he'd let us? I'm not sure he likes me too much."

Neji shook his head, "Actually, Hiashi-sama has respected you ever since our first chunnin exam."

Naruto and Lee both shot him a confused look, but TenTen smiled in understanding, "He's grateful for what you did for me during the chunnin exams; because of you, he was finally able to tell me the truth about my father."

Naruto blushed, "Ah, I didn't think he gave that much thought."

Neji nodded, "I don't think anyone will be using it today anyway."

TenTen smiled and leaned over the table, "I think I'll come along too. You never know; I might be helpful." her smile widened, "Or maybe I'll learn something myself."

Lee turned to her seriously, "Well, you are a Taijutsu type TenTen. Actually I can't remember you dealing in Genjutsu at all."

The Kunoichi shrugged, "That's because all of my family techniques revolve around weapons."

Lee struck a pose, once again forcing Naruto to duck, this time he slid under the table to narrowly avoid Lee's elbow that was heading for his chin, "Very well! I will go along too! Should I ever encounter a Genjutsu at least I'll know what I'm looking at!"

TenTen sighed heavily and playfully smacked the back of Lee's head, "Idiot! You're completely immune to genjutsu! You have no chakra flow to speak of remember?"

Neji calmly sipped his tea, unconcerned by the fact that his team had just invited themselves to his home; while Naruto laughed and encouraged TenTen.

As they were talking they failed to notice their comrades standing in front of them until Kiba announced himself loudly, "Hey Naruto!!! Are you guys deaf or what!?"

Neji, the only one who had noticed his cousin's team approach nodded to Hinata, "Hello Hinata-sama."

The Hyuuga heiress bowed slightly, "H-Hello Neji-nisama."

Naruto turned his strikingly blue eyes on the newcomers, "Hinata! Kiba! Shino! Hi you guys! How are you?"

Hinata blushed furiously and tried to stutter a reply, but Kiba butted in over her soft attempts, "Hey there! What's going on? I know that Lee's team hangs out here, but I didn't expect to find you here Naruto."

Shino nodded, adjusting his sunglasses on the bridge of his nose, "I would have thought you would be at Ichiraku's."

Naruto glared half heartedly at the taller ninja, "Is that the only place that anyone ever expects to find me? I do have other things to do you know!"

Kiba laughed loudly as he scratched Akamaru's ears, "Well you spend enough time there idiot! What are we supposed to think?" he gave his giant canine companion another pat on the head before turning to Neji, "Hey scoot over man, we're gonna join you."

Hinata reached for her outgoing teammate's sleeve, "Ah! Kiba-kun! We shouldn't just invite ourselves. Maybe they…."

She stopped short as Naruto grinned at her and pulled on Neji's arm, "Don't be silly Hinata! You're always welcome! Even if you have that mutt tagging along!"

There was a disgruntled, "Hey!" from Kiba, but he was smiling too widely to be taken seriously.

Neji allowed himself to be pulled towards the middle of the booth, and Naruto was happy to find that the Hyuuga was just as warm as his spandex-clad teammate.

"Come on Hinata!"

The Hyuuga Heiress shyly scooted into the booth next to her cousin, trying her best to give him his personal space, "Th-thank you N-naruto-kun."

Kiba recklessly plopped himself down on her other side and slid over to make room for Shino. Hinata yelped as she was shoved against Neji's side; she bowed her head and stuttered an apology, as Neji tried to assure her that it was, "Quite alright Hinata-sama."

When Shino sat on the edge of the curved bench he created a domino effect and soon the young ninja were crammed together in the booth relishing one another's warmth. Akamaru somehow managed to tuck himself underneath the table where he would be out of the way, effectively warming their exposed feet.

The waitress returned yet again and was surprised to find that her customers had multiplied once more. With a flick of her pristinely white apron she bustled off to the kitchen and returned with more glasses and two kettles of tea to be shared by the group. Naruto thanked her very sweetly and the girl went away once more with her cheeks stained a delicate pink.

Kiba took a long swallow of his tea then leaned over the table, "So what are you guys up to?"

Before anyone could answer Lee held up his fist in admiration and his teeth sparkled once more, "It is now our mission to help Naruto-kun with his training!"

Naruto shot an embarrassed glare in the direction of his hyperactive friend, "Hey! Fuzzy-eyebrows…."

Shino looked at him questioningly, "Training?"

Naruto sighed and directed one more annoyed glance at Lee before answering, "I'm trying to brush up on my genjutsu."

TenTen smiled, "Neji's great with genjutsu so we're going to give him a hand later."

Kiba snorted, "Have you looked outside? It's raining cats and dogs out there. It's no use training in that."

Neji shook his head, "No, I invited him to train with me at the Hyuuga compound."

Hinata immediately blushed, "N-naruto-kun at o-our house?"

Naruto flashed a foxy grin at the girl, "You don't mind do you Hinata?"

Hinata jumped and shook her head furiously, "N-no! Of course not Naruto-kun!"

Naruto grinned, "Thanks Hinata!"

TenTen smiled knowingly at the younger Kunoichi, a mischievous glint in her eyes "Hey, Hinata. You're a Genjutsu type. Maybe you could give them a hand."

Naruto looked between the girls, smiling happily, "That would be fun! What do you think Neji?"

Neji sipped his tea, then turned to Hinata, "I think it would be helpful. Would you like to join us Hinata-sama?"

Hinata blushed a bright pink, "M-me help, N-naruto-kun…"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head, "I would appreciate it Hinata." he turned his sapphire eyes on her causing her blush to deepen, "I'm having a hard time with it."

'Naruto-kun wants me to help him…..he wants to train together! W-what should I…?"

Kiba elbowed her lightly, "Hey Hinata!"

Hinata jumped at the contact, "Y-yes!?"

Naruto smiled and refilled his tea cup, "Alright! Thanks Hinata! With you and Neji helping me I'm sure I'll get it!"

Hinata's eyes widened, "Wh-what just…?"

Kiba frowned slightly, "Hinata! Why do you always get so flustered around him!?"

The corners of Neji's lips twitched as he watched his cousin, "Thank you Hinata-sama. You'll be very helpful for demonstrations."

Hinata just stared at her cousin, 'They though that was my answer! I was talking to Kiba-kun but…..Oh! I'm going to be training with Naruto-kun!'

She started to sway and Kiba put an arm out to steady her, "Hi-hinata?"

'Training with…Naruto-kun…'

She passed out, falling against her teammate, "AH! Hinata!"

"WHY ALWAYS WHEN HE'S AROUND!?"


	2. Getting Warmer

AN: What can I say? I have a thing for Neji.

Kiba sighed as he carefully maneuvered Hinata's limp form out of the booth, "I don't get it! This happens every time!"

Naruto cocked his head at the scene, "What's the matter with her?"

TenTen sighed and shook her head, 'Ah! Hinata! You're going to blow your chance on this one!'

Shino stood off to the side as Kiba pulled Hinata into his arms, "Kiba we should take her home. We don't have any more missions today."

Kiba frowned as Shino draped Hinata's cloak over her, "Yeah, I guess we should let her sleep it off." he shook his head, "I just don't get it."

Naruto downed the rest of his tea, "You and me both man. She's really nice, but it seems like I never get to finish a conversation with her!"

TenTen stared at the boys in disbelief, "No." she shook her head, "There is NO WAY that the two of you are that dense!"

Naruto and Kiba turned to the Kunoichi, their eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "Huh?"

TenTen sighed, "Oh my gosh." she put a hand to her forehead, "Never mind! You two are incredible!"

Kiba gestured to his canine companion, "Come on Akamaru, let's get her home. We'll see you later guys."

Naruto waved to his former classmates as they headed back out into the storm, "Bye Shino, Akamaru; take care of her Dog-breath!"

He hugged himself as a shudder ran down his spine; Neji noticed his friend's discomfort and reached across the table to refill the blond's tea, "Are you alright Naruto? You're shivering."

Naruto wrapped his hands around the cup, "That's because I'm freezing. I was fine while I was squished between you and Fuzzy-eyebrows," he grinned, "you two have some intense body heat!"

Lee inclined his head, "I see. Your clothes are still damp."

TenTen rolled her eyes, "We can see that." she turned to Naruto, "Why aren't you wearing your cloak?"

Naruto took a deep breath, breathing in the steam of his tea, "I left it at home becau-"

Lee cut in loudly, "It's not of much use there Naruto-kun!"

"Lee!" TenTen punched her spandex wearing teammate in the arm, "You don't need to shout the obvious!"

Naruto continued, unperturbed, "I was going to take it off anyway for training," he shrugged, "I would have gotten soaked either way so I didn't bother."

Neji set down his glass and stood, "Let's get going. You should change before we go train. Otherwise you'll catch a cold." he smiled, "You can wear your cloak this time since we are going to be training indoors."

TenTen scooted out the other side of the booth, pulling Lee with her, "You're right Neji. I think I'll go get warmed up too. How about I meet you at your place later?"

Neji nodded, "Very well. Lee, are you joining us?"

Lee punched the air in determination, "No thank you Neji! I'm going to find Guy-sensei to see if he wants to train me on this marvelous day! I have been inspired by Naruto-kun's determination to grow stronger! My flaming youth will burn brightly in spite of-"

TenTen pulled Lee into a headlock, abruptly ending his speech, "Alright! We get it already!!!" she began dragging her overzealous teammate towards the door, "I'll see you guys later. Let's go 'Green Beast'"

Naruto laughed as TenTen and Lee disappeared into the street, dodging the last of the citizens scrambling for cover.

Neji repositioned his hood over his dark hair as Naruto reached for his wallet, "It's alright, I'll pay Naruto."

Naruto looked up at his dark haired companion, "It's okay, I don't mind."

Neji shook his head and smiled at his friend, "I know, but it was my turn to pay for my team and you're good company," he put a hand on the shorter ninja's shoulder, "that aside, I can't allow you to pay for my cousin and her team."

Naruto looked questioningly at the older ninja, "You sure Neji?"

Neji nodded and placed the money on the table, "Of course. I'm always sure remember?"

Naruto laughed, "Right, right! How could I forget? You're one of the few people in the city who's as full of himself as I am!"

Neji laughed as they headed for the door, "I don't know about that! I don't think I can match you. Not even in my "unchangeable destiny" days." he smiled softly, "After all, you out stubborned me then."

Naruto grinned, "What can I say? I was young and impulsive!"

Neji put a hand on the younger man's shoulder, "Exactly, nothing has changed!"

He laughed at the over-the-top pout that immediately appeared on Naruto's face, "Hey! Neji!"

Neji looked out at the rain that beat relentlessly down on the Hidden Leaf; the rain fell heavily, pounding the packed dirt of the street into a river of mud that moved sluggishly down the slightly inclined surface.

He looked to his side to find Naruto looking out at the storm with his nose wrinkled up in annoyance, "Damn, I wish this would let up already!"

Neji nodded, "Well there's nothing we can do about it, and standing here shivering isn't going to help. Are you ready to go? The sooner we get to your apartment the sooner you'll get warm."

Naruto looked up at his friend with wide eyes, "You're coming with me?"

Neji tilted his head, "Yes, I was planning on it. Does it bother you?"

Naruto shook his head, "Uh, no. I don't mind, you just surprised me that's all." he took a deep breath then stepped out into the cold, "Let's hurry before my toes fall off."

Neji chuckled, "Well at least you're not being dramatic about all this."

Naruto glared good-naturedly at the dark-haired nin, "Shut up Neji."

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Fifteen minutes later the young ninja were standing in front of Naruto's apartment; Neji was dry and comfortable inside his water-resistant cloak, but Naruto was soaked once more. He fumbled with the lock for a moment, willing his numb fingers to move. The blond ninja growled in frustration, wanting nothing more than to get into his home; Neji sighed as he watched his companion's growing annoyance.

After a moment of silent warfare between Naruto and the offending security device Neji stepped forward and took the key out of Naruto's hand, "Here, let me or we're going to be out here all day."

Naruto grudgingly stepped away from the door; his teeth chattering too hard to argue.

In an instant Neji had the door open and he pushed Naruto into the room ahead of him. The Hyuuga flicked on the lights, left his shoes at the door, and crossed the room to turn on the heater. Naruto immediately rid himself of his damp clothing; stripping down to his boxers and tossing everything else in a careless pile by the door.

He rubbed his arms in an attempt to warm himself as he walked past Neji, "Hey, make yourself at home, I'm gonna go take a shower."

Neji nodded, "Take your time, we have all afternoon."

Naruto nodded then disappeared down the narrow hallway; Neji heard a door open and shut, followed by the distinct sound of a running shower.

The Hyuuga hung his cloak in the entryway then went to the kitchen for a towel. The shower hummed away at the other end of the apartment as Neji mopped up the water that Naruto had tracked across the wood floor of his home.

He sighed, "I wonder what he does when no one is around to clean up after him."

He tossed the damp towel into the sink and let his white eyes rove over the small apartment. He had been to Naruto's home many times, but he was always struck by how bare the place was. Like all of Naruto's friends he was aware that Naruto didn't care much for material things; his relationships were by far the most precious thing in his life, and he protected them fiercely.

In spite of the younger ninja's seemingly frivolous nature, Naruto was remarkably business like about his household; there was nothing in his home that didn't serve a purpose.

With a familiarity born of frequent visits Neji filled Naruto's teapot with water and set it to boil; that done he raided the cupboards in search of the small tea packets that Naruto favored. Finding none, the Hyuuga opted for hot chocolate instead.

Leaving the kettle to boil Neji walked back into the living room and sat on the couch while the shower continued to buzz away from the other end of the apartment.

When Naruto finally emerged he was greeted by the sight of Neji sitting cross-legged on his couch drinking hot chocolate and staring out the window at the rain with a second steaming cup at his side.

Naruto moved to his friend's side, picking up the mug and sitting in the nearby chair, "Hey thanks for taking care of the water on the floor."

Neji turned to his friend; he was mildly surprised at the lack of orange on his companion. The blond was now wearing black sweatpants and a navy blue t-shirt with the Konoha leaf marking on the front. "Huh, you noticed?"

Naruto laughed, "Ha! You're just like Sakura-chan. Who do you think cleans my house when you're not around Neji?"

The Hyuuga smiled at his friend, "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah," he held up the mug, "By the way, thanks for the drink."

Neji nodded, turning his attention back to the rain, "I thought you would want something warm."

He sensed Naruto nodding, "Although..."

"hmm?"

Naruto took a long swallow then licked his lips and grinned at his friend, "I wouldn't have pegged you for a hot chocolate kind of guy."

Neji shrugged, "I like it sometimes. You didn't have any tea, I went for the next best thing."

"Right." Naruto stood, "I'm hungry, do you want anything?"

Neji raised an eyebrow at the younger ninja, "That depends. Do you have anything besides ramen?"

Naruto laughed as he walked to the kitchen, "Wow, it's like you don't know me at all!"

Neji smiled and turned back to watching the rain, "Well enlighten me."

Naruto's voice drifted back to him over the sound of rattling dishes, "It's mostly what I have, but after I came home I started keeping other things in the house for when Sakura-chan comes over." he laughed, "She gets mad if I don't eat other things once in awhile, and she won't eat ramen unless we're at Ichiraku's."

Neji got up and joined the blond in the kitchen, "Well she's right. It's not good for you to eat the same thing all the time."

Naruto gave him a thumbs up, "That's why there are so many different flavors of ramen!"

Neji stared at him for a moment, then sighed and shook his head, "You know, that's not what I meant..."

Naruto shrugged and turned to the stove to reheat the water, "Anyway, how do rice balls sound to you?"

"Sounds fine," he took the plate that Naruto offered to him, "Thank you."

Naruto smiled, "Anytime." he took the half empty cup of hot chocolate from the taller man, "You can go sit down, I'll get you a refill."

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They ate lunch in comfortable camaraderie and they watched as the storm continued to intensify; the rain beat down on the roof and lighting began to flash, followed by the rumble of thunder.

Naruto sighed as he gathered up the dishes, "It's so warm in here, it seems like a shame to head out in that again."

Neji nodded, "Yes, but if we train here we're likely to do some damage to your apartment."

"Right." he grinned, "Well the faster we get going, the faster we'll get there. Thanks for stopping to let me get warmed up Neji."

Neji crossed the room and put on his cloak once more, "You'd have gotten sick if we hadn't. Are you ready?"

He turned to see Naruto pulling his hood over his head, "Yeah, let's go."

Naruto pulled the door open and they were immediately assaulted by the wind and the rain; Naruto wrinkled his nose at the storm.

Neji stepped out onto the patio and Naruto followed, locking the door behind them. "Well lets hurry Naruto."

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Neji nodded to the guards as he and Naruto entered the Hyuuga compound; the common area was empty, but they could see lamp light dancing behind the screens of the various apartments.

Neji led the way to the covered patios so they could walk in relative shelter from the storm, "We should go announce ourselves to Hiashi-sama."

Naruto nodded, obediently following his friend, "Are you sure he won't mind?" Neji stopped and turned to face him and he blushed lightly, "Well-ah." he looked up into the blank eyes of the Hyuuga, "It's just, parents don't really like me, y'know?"

Neji sighed, "He won't mind. He told me himself that he respects you. That's as much praise as you can get out of Hiashi-sama unless he's talking about his daughters." he put a hand on Naruto's shoulder, "He doesn't choose who my friends are Naruto. It's alright."

Naruto smiled weakly up at his friend, "Thanks Neji. Sorry for being a pain."

The Hyuuga shook his head, "You're not." he turned and began walking once more, "Come on."

Natuto followed Neji along the patio and across the gardens that separated the house of the main family from the branch family. Neji continued to the side entrance of the building and slid the door open, "Come on in Naruto, we have slippers so you can leave your shoes and your cloak here."

Naruto stepped in behind the dark haired nin, closing the door behind him and shutting out the rain, "Thanks Neji."

After hanging their cloaks and donning the guest slippers Neji took the lead once more.

As they walked he turned to look at Naruto and he almost laughed aloud at the blond. Naruto was looking around, meandering from one side of the hall to the other, apparently admiring the various paintings and tapestries that lined the walls.

"Naruto?"

Naruto's head snapped around to look at his friend, "Neji! There are so many rooms in this place! It's huge! A lot of neat stuff on the walls too."

Neji smiled, "I take it you've never been inside the Main Family's home before?"

Naruto shook his head, "Nope. Hinata really lives here?"

"Yes, she grew up here." he raised an eyebrow, "She's never invited you here before?"

Naruto sighed and shrugged, "I don't think she's ever had the chance to ask me! She faints almost every time she tries to talk to me!" he smiled, "I think she's really nice though. Even at the academy she was always nice to me."

Neji sighed, 'Ah Hinata-sama, if only you knew he thought so highly of you.' he turned to the shorter ninja, "Naruto, you should try telling her that yourself. She's shy, but she might open up a bit if she knows you think of her as a friend."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head, contemplating the situation, "You think so Neji?" he grunted as he stretched his hands above his head, "Do you think she'll be able to train with us today?"

Neji stopped in front of some lavishly decorated double doors, "After I talk to Hiashi-sama we'll go see if she's feeling up to it." he put a hand on the door, "Would you mind waiting here for a moment? Non Hyuuga members cannot be invited in without the express permission of a member of the main family."

Naruto nodded, "Gotcha, no problem."

Neji slid one door open, "I won't be long."

Neji shut the door behind him and Naruto leaned against an unoccupied wall panel, he fidgeted as he waited, and soon he found himself eavesdropping out of habit.

"Good afternoon Hiashi-sama"

"Ah, Hello Neji. What brings you here? Didn't your team have a mission today?"

"Yes, we completed the mission without any difficulties and I am free for the rest of the day."

"That's good to hear. Well done Neji. I'm sorry if you came for training, but I don't have time for that today, " he laughed softly, "I doubt that there is much more I can teach you anyway. You should enjoy having the afternoon off."

Naruto imagined Neji smiling, "Actually, I came to ask you for your permission to use the indoor training gym."

Here Naruto thought that Hiashi must be frowning in confusion, 'Well actually every time I see that guy he's frowning...'

"Neji, I don't mind you using it, but you shouldn't over work yourself."

Naruto thought he heard a slight swishing sound, 'Neji must be shaking his head.'

"Actually Hiashi-sama, I offered to help my friend work on his Genjutsu. He's having a hard time with it and he wanted some extra help before he has to train with his team again tomorrow."

"That's interesting. It's rare for you to call someone a friend Neji. Who is it?"

"Uzumaki Naruto."

"Ah yes, the Jinchuuriki."

Naruto's breath caught in his throat and a shiver of fear ran down his spine; he crouched in the hall preparing to run though he didn't have any idea what he would say to Neji if he did, so he waited.

"I had heard from Hinata that he had returned."

"Yes, he's been back for almost a month now."

"Well the two of you are free to use the gym."

"Thank you Hiashi-sama.'

"Though I have to admit, I understood your respect for him. He defeated you in the Chunnin exams on determination and stamina. However, I was surprised when you befriended the boy. You're not particularly social outside of your team, I didn't expect you form anything other than a rivalry with Uzumaki."

Naruto heard Neji clear his throat; he was stunned by the fact that Neji hadn't seemed surprised by the fact that he was the Jinchuuriki, 'Maybe he doesn't know what that means... no, if he didn't he would have asked...'

"I actually wasn't sure what to think of him until I ran into him in front of the missions office after he had recovered from his fight with the Suna ninja." there was a pause, "He offered me his hand and thanked me for a challenging battle, after that." another pause, "being his friend just seemed natural. He fit me into his world so easily, and I feel like he drew me out of the cage that I had placed around myself."

Naruto plopped onto his rear with a soft thud, "Neji..."

"He has helped Hinata-sama grow stronger as well. His strength and determination have inspired her to create her own techniques, and to continue to fight even when it seems too difficult."

"He must be an interesting individual if both you and Hinata think so highly of him."

"He's like a brother to me. I know he's someone I can always count on. I have never met a more loyal person than Naruto."

"I see. By the way Neji. Do you have someone to help with demonstrations? If he's having a hard time with Genjustu he'll need to see what it looks like to an observer."

"Hinata-sama offered to help, after I had spoken to you I was planning on seeing if she was available to help us."

"That's right I wanted to ask you. Do you know why her team brought her home unconscious?"

AN: Oh man this one is a Neji heavy chapter, but I can't help it! I like him, and I always kind of wondered how Neji and Naruto ended up as friends, so this is how I see it happening. Simple, quick, and natural. It felt sort of Naru/hina in the middle there, but I prefer to see them as friends, I like her, but I think she's too weak and needy for him. She would rely too much on him and stress him out. Ah poor Hina! Anyway Happy Holidays everyone!!!


	3. Time for Tea

AN: Oh man! I've finally gotten around to writing the next chapter of this story. For those of you who have been waiting for this chapter I want to say thank you for your patience. Lately I haven't had as much time for writing as I would have liked. I hope it was worth the wait! BTW I know that Neji isn't one of the people who was confirmed to know about the Kyuubi, but honestly I think if anyone was going to figure it out on their own, it would be him or Shikamaru.

Naruto was so lost in his own thoughts that he almost didn't notice Neji stepping back out into the hall, quietly sliding the ornate doors closed behind him.

Neji turned to look down at the blond; Naruto was sitting with his back against the wall and his legs stretched out into the hall in front of him.

He leaned down to look at the younger ninja's face and smirked, "Did you get bored already Naruto? I wasn't in there for long."

Naruto looked up and smiled happily at the Hyuuga, "Nope, I was just thinking."

Neji raised an eyebrow as his friend got to his feet, "Thinking huh?" Naruto seemed reluctant to answer so he dropped the subject, "Hiashi-sama gave us full permission to use the training gym and he sends his greetings."

Naruto grinned up at his friend, "Thanks Neji!"

Neji nodded, "You're welcome Naruto. We all have to be stronger if we are going to be protecting Konoha in the future. We should help each other as much as we can."

He turned away and beckoned to the younger man, "Lets see if Hinata-sama is awake. Hiashi-sama is right, we may need someone to help with demonstrations."

Naruto smiled at his dark-haired friend's back, then he nodded and walked to Neji's side as the older man led him through the halls of the main family's home, "Okay. I hope she's alright."

Neji smirked, "I'm sure she's just fine."

Naruto looked curiously up at his friend, "What's with that face Neji?"

He followed his friend around a corner and Neji tilted his head to smile at him, "She's much stronger than that don't you think?"

Naruto laughed mischievously, "Yeah, and she's getting stronger. You'd better watch out Neji or she'll be tougher than you soon."

The Hyuuga put his nose in the air, pretending to be offended, "I am a master of the Hyuuga style of fighting."

His companion laughed, "That may not be enough, unless you start making up new jutsus like she has."

Neji rolled his eyes, but he held his tongue and turned to one of several doors that lined the hall they were in, "Here we are."

Naruto stopped behind him and he raised one hand to tap lightly on the door, "Hinata-sama?"

There was a faint shuffling from inside, then the door was drawn open. Hinata seemed surprised to see Neji, but her face went red when she noticed Naruto standing behind him, "Ah! Neji-ni-sama, N-naruto-kun..."

Neji managed to stop himself from rolling his eyes, instead he bowed slightly to the Hyuuga heiress, "Hello Hinata-sama."

Naruto raised his hand to wave at her, "Hi Hinata! Are you feeling better?"

Hinata's blushed deepened and she stuttered a greeting. She swallowed hard, then forced herself to look away from Naruto, "Did you need me Neji-nisama?"

Neji smiled at his shy cousin, "Yes. We came to see if you were still willing to help with Naruto's training."

She blinked at the older Hyuuga, 'Oh! I'd almost forgotten about it.' She looked back and forth between her cousin and Naruto, "Of course...I would be happy to help..."

Neji gave her a reassuring nod as he watched her tapping her fingers together, "I'm glad to hear that Hinata-sama. Your presence will be very helpful."

Naruto gave her a thumbs up, "You two are the best," he smiled at her, "Thanks Hinata! You're a good friend."

Hinata put her hand on the door frame to steady herself, but she managed to smile shyly at him, "Give me a moment to get ready."

Neji nodded, "Very well. We'll meet you in the training room."

She bowed in return, "Alright."

Neji smirked as he turned away from his cousin, "Oh and Hinata-sama." he felt her watching his back so he continued, "Your father was asking me why you were brought home unconscious. I told him I didn't know."

"Oh! Father was-" Hinata bowed at his back, "Thank you Neji-ni-sama."

Naruto waved to her as he followed Neji back the way they had come, "See you later Hinata!"

She flushed with pleasure and smiled at him, "Yes, I'll be along soon Naruto-kun."

Naruto turned and followed Neji along the numerous corridors that made up the main family's estate. He recognized some of the artwork they were passing and realized that Neji was leading him back the way they had come.

Soon they were back at the side entrance; without a word Neji started donning his rain gear once more, trading the comfortable guest slippers for his muddy sandals. Naruto wrinkled his nose in distaste, "Back out into the rain huh? Crap."

Neji smiled at the blond as he held his cloak out to him, "It isn't far."

Naruto took the offered clothing and frowned, "I just hate being cold, it doesn't help that it's wet out there too."

The Hyuuga chuckled, "Maybe you're part cat. Do you always complain this much about rain?"

Naruto grinned, "Only when I'm out in it."

Neji shook his head as he opened the door and stepped back out into the storm, with Naruto following reluctantly behind him.

They moved quickly through the Hyuuga compound, staying under the eves as much as possible as the rain continued to pelt Konoha.

Lightning flashed as they slipped into the training gym; Neji pushed his hood back and flicked the light switch.

Naruto took off his cloak as he looked around at the training area, "Cool, but it's more like a dojo than a gym isn't it?"

Neji sighed, "Does it really matter?"

The shorter ninja hung his cloak on a hook beside Neji's "I guess not. It's pretty awesome that you have a place like this to train."

Neji shrugged, "It's helpful in bad weather, but other than that we don't use it very often. It's mostly for the use of the main family, but they don't really use it either."

Naruto looked around, "Really? That seems like a waste."

Neji slipped out of his sandals and set them neatly in a corner of the entryway, "Yes I suppose, but we're less likely to cause any structural damage to the compound if we train outside in the courtyard."

Naruto nodded knowingly, "I get it. I guess that makes sense."

The taller ninja turned and regarded him sternly, "That means I want you to control yourself while we're using this room. Don't over do things and blow up the gym."

Naruto waved his hands defensively, "Right, I gotcha, I'll be careful."

Neji sighed heavily, "Good. Now lets get started on the basics before Lee gets here. Once he arrives we probably aren't going to get anything useful done."

The blond laughed, "Wait. Didn't Lee say that he was going to look for Guy-sensei instead? He said he wasn't going to come."

The older ninja motioned for him to sit, and the both settled themselves on the floor of the gym.

The dark-haired nin smiled, "That's true, but I happen to know that Guy-sensei is out of town on a mission and isn't supposed to be home until late tomorrow. He'll run around looking for awhile, but once he realizes that he's on his own, he'll show up here wanting to train with us."

Naruto laughed, "Wow, you sound so sure of how it'll happen."

Neji tapped his temple with his index finger, "I know my teammates. Lee tends to forget things when he gets excited. Just wait, he'll turn up sooner or later."

Neji set aside his kunai pouch and regarded the blond seriously, "I'm sure that Genjutsu has already been explained to you several times, but I'm going to try and simplify it for you. Besides, it's always best to start from the beginning."

The blond nodded, all his attention focused on the older ninja, "Okay."

The Hyuuga folded his hands in his lap and he took a deep breath as he collected his thoughts, "Alright, so you understand that Chakra flows throughout your entire body in much the same way that your veins carry blood."

He paused to be sure that Naruto understood and the younger ninja nodded for him to continue, "Well, like your blood, chakra flows to every part of your body, giving it strength and sustaining your body. Genjutsu works by controlling the flow of chakra through an opponent's brain."

Again he paused and Naruto nodded seriously, "Okay, I think I've got it so far."

Neji tilted his head in acknowledgment, "By controlling the chakra in an opponents mind, the Genjutsu user can effect what their opponent sees, smells, hears, and feels. However, like most of the ninja arts, it requires some sort of innate talent in order to be truly effective. So even if you understand the principles of Genjutsu, it may be that you won't ever be able to cast a genjutsu that would be effective in battle."

Naruto sighed, "I was afraid of that. I don't think I have a talent for this at all Neji."

The dark-haired ninja smile reassuringly at the other ninja, "That may be true, but at the very least I think that you can learn to escape from genjutsu consistently."

He was about to continue, but at that moment the door to the gym slid open, wind whipped into the room, Hinata slipped into the room wrapped in her cloak, and quickly shut the door behind her.

She sighed and slumped against the door as a puddle formed beneath her feet.

Naruto stood and smiled at her, "Hi Hinata. That storm seems to be getting worse doesn't it?"

Hinata carefully took off her cloak and hung it beside the others, "H-hello Naruto-kun. Yes, the rain does seem to be getting out of hand doesn't it?"

She moved gracefully across the room and knelt beside her cousin, facing them both. Naruto sat once more and smiled at her, "I really appreciate this Hinata."

Hinata mumbled something they didn't understand then began rummaging in the bag that she had brought with her.

"I knew that we would need to talk a bit first and...and it's so cold outside, well I thought some tea would be nice... I brought some snacks too, in-in case we got hungry..." her head snapped up and a blush spread across her cheeks as she looked directly at Naruto, "I made the tea myself Naruto-kun!"

Naruto beamed at her, "Really? Thanks Hinata! If you made it I bet it'll be delicious!"

Hinata's blush deepened and she began setting out the snacks and pouring the tea, "Please continue Neji-nisama, I'll only be a moment."

Neji nodded, "Thank you for your thoughtfulness Hinata-sama."

"Alright, so you know what makes a genjutsu work. So rather than trying to teach you to cast one, I'd like to start by teaching you to recognize a genjutsu, both when its been cast on you, and when one has been cast on your teammate." he took a long drink of the tea that Hinata had set in front of him.

Naruto smiled at Hinata as he tasted his, "Okay, but how do I know when I'm up against a Genjutsu type?"

Neji nodded in approval, "Excellent question. In most cases, genjutsu users are long-range fighters; they will keep their distance and do their best to distract you; and at the same time they will try to lure you into their genjutsu. Less talented users will try and trap you in some sort of ninjutsu; something annoying, but not to hard to escape from to hide their plans."

The blond nodded enthusiastically, "Got it so far."

"Well then, since you understand how it works I want you to see what it looks like should a member of your team be caught in a genjutsu." he turned to Hinata, "Hinata-sama, please cast a genjutsu on me."

Hinata jumped and nearly knocked over the thermos of tea; Naruto's hand shot out and caught it before it could spill, "Hey are you alright Hinata?"

"Y-yes!" she stared, wide-eyed at her cousin, "Are you sure Neji-nisama? I-I mean that you want me to case a genjutsu on y-you?"

Neji nodded, "Yes I think it would be better that way."

Naruto tilted his head at her, "It's not like you're going to hurt him Hinata."

The kunoichi looked back and forth between them, her long hair sweeping across the floor, "I-I, suppose... If it would help..."

Neji stood in one smooth motion, "Very well, this will only take a moment. Naruto you can stay where you are. Hinata-sama, if you would?"

The Hyuuga heiress practically leapt to her feet, wringing her fingers anxiously, "Yes!" she bit her lip, 'What have I gotten myself into? I can't back down now! Not with Naruto-kun watching me! Oh no..."

She followed her cousin across the room then stopped a few feet away from the jounin, she carefully angled herself away from her crush and focused all of her attention on Neji, "A-alright. Tell me when you're ready..."

Neji closed his eyes for a moment then looked into her eyes, "Go ahead."

Naruto leaned closer to the pair, his elbows digging into his thighs as he sat cross-legged on the floor. His eyes opened wider as he watched her hands flash into a series of lighting-quick seals.

Hinata exhaled and held the last seal, as she did Neji's face went blank and he stood unmoving. He stood as still as a statue; the gentle movement of his chest as he breathed the only proof that he was a living person.

Hinata took a deep breath to gather her courage, "D-do y-you see Naruto-kun? He's very still, ...a-and a person in a genjutsu doesn't b-blink at all. You can tell right?"

Naruto's awed voice drifted to over to her and she forced herself to stay still, while her body screamed at her to look at him and to run at the same time, "Yeah! That's not too hard. Neat! I don't think I've ever seen Neji with such a blank look on his face." he laughed, "Makes me want to write something on him!"

Hinata turned to him with a horrified expression, "N-naruto-kun! We can't do that Neji-ni-sama would be...!"

Naruto laughed, "Okay, okay! I was just kidding. He's helping me out after all, and I can only imagine how mad he'd be." he winked at her, "It is a funny thought though don't you think"

The kunoichi quickly turned away with a blush spreading across her cheeks, "K-kai!"

Neji blinked several times before he looked up, "So does he understand...Hinata-sama?" she blushed and looked away so his gaze slid over to the other shinobi, "What-?" he raised an eyebrow as Naruto grinned and began snickering behind his hand.

Neji frowned, "What is the matter with you two? Is there something on my face?"

Hinata slumped to the floor, caught between embarrassment and laughter, while Naruto chuckled to himself, "Aww Neji. Do you really think we'd do something like that?"

The older ninja tilted his head at them in confusion, "I...What?"

AN: Man Hinata is really annoying to write when she's around Naruto. I kept wanting to write her with more confidence and without all the pauses and the nervous gestures. Sadly I had to in the hopes of staying in character as much as I am able. Neji is a bit out of character as it is, but I don't think it's _too _far from the real deal. I hope everyone liked this chapter. Take care.


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